Jackson Moore, vice president of Volunteer Theme Park Engineering Group, built his first rollercoaster, Mild Mouse, in a garage.
“It was real simple, just one loop,” Moore said.
It was also eight feet tall, with a drop, a turn and brakes.
Moore, a senior mechanical engineering major, alongside Nathan Webb, a junior mechanical engineering major and president of the organization, cofounded TPEG this semester. They say their goal is to bring the University of Tennessee’s roller coaster-loving community together, educate students on the state of the field and create professional opportunities for future roller coaster designers.
“I want Vol TPEG to be something that every student looks forward to every week, an opportunity for them to learn and grow and learn something new about the industry,” Webb said. “For those that want a job in the amusement industry after college, we hope that we can create those connections and their opportunities for them.”
Over the course of the year, TPEG will connect students to the industry by traveling to parks and conferences across the country — Kings Dominion in Virginia over fall break, a global attractions industry exposition in Florida in November, a behind-the-scenes tour at Universal Studios and a stop at the Universal Epic Experience park, according to Webb.
Webb explained the club plans to host at least two industry professionals at club meetings and review developments in the amusement industry. They aim to have several design competitions for students geared toward engineering and architecture, and hope to compete with other colleges over who can design the coolest ride.
Although one key focus of Vol TPEG is networking and gaining recognition in the amusement industry, the club is open to everyone, according to Webb.
“The cool thing about the club is you can kind of take it whichever direction you want. If you just want to show up and ride rollercoasters, you can do that,” Webb said. “Or if you want to try and get a job and learn more about technically how they’re constructed and learn about the engineering behind them, we also have that side of it too.”
Jade Collins, a sophomore forensic anthropology major, does not plan to be a future rollercoaster designer. She first heard of Vol TPEG while sharing her love of rollercoasters with Moore.
“We both learned that we had a really intense love for rollercoasters, because I was originally from Florida, so obviously Universal and Busch Gardens and Disney and all that,” Collins said.
Collins reiterated that Vol TPEG welcomes all students interested in rollercoasters.
“Hence why a forensic anthropologist is here enjoying rollercoasters just like everyone else,” Collins said.
Moore said one of his biggest aspirations for Vol TPEG is for them to enter a design competition. He wants to build another rollercoaster “with a full chain lift, magnetic brakes, like the whole shebang,” Webb said.
He added that he’s thinking about the name. Maybe something Tennessee related to let folks know where they’re from, such as something with the Smoky Mountains.
“Being in college, sometimes you forget that the stuff we’re doing is fun, especially in engineering school. You get bogged down in your work and your readings,” Moore said. “ I want to remind people there are still really cool applications to engineering, and there are still fun ways to get involved and learn about things that, you know, are pretty niche.”
